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|| SportsShooter.com: News Item: Posted 2002-10-23

The Runner: Your deadline's best friend.
Part Two of 'Runnin' With The Flash Cards' at the 2002 World Series.

By Grover Sanschagrin

Photo by Grover Sanschagrin

Don't these people understand the concept of DEADLINES?! Sheesh.

With Day 1 of my three-day tour-of-duty now complete, I am now able to file my report and officially call myself an experienced USA Today World Series runner.

As I mentioned in yesterday's report, it has been 8 years since I've actually worked a game, and I've noticed several very dramatic, shocking changes in the business. They are: There isn't any more film; everyone seems to have changed to Canon; remote cameras are attached to every possible free inch of space; and something else that I can't remember right now.

But one thing hasn't changed. The all-mighty, ever powerful RUNNER position is still as vital a link to the outside world as it has ever been. Although, I do fear the concept of the 'Wireless Network,' which could put the whole RUNNER industry totally out of business.

For this reason, I have decided to start up a RUNNER'S UNION. You know, where we runners get together and draw up some fancy contracts that make sure we don't lose our highly paid jobs when the wireless networks are instantly beaming images to editors. (And, if we must, I'd even vote in favor of a SALARY CAP for us runners if it helps seal the deal.)

But that's a different story.

Photo by Grover Sanschagrin

What? WHERE'S THE DAMN FILM? Bob Deutsch shows us runners how to remove (and then insert again) a compact flash card from one of the many remotes set up in every inch of the stadium.

My job yesterday was the safe and speedy transport of digital image storage devices. My pathway started at the third level 'basket' above third base and ended all the way on the other side of the stadium, underneath the giant concrete seats in left field.

Side note: So I'm thinking... if an earthquake comes – I don't want to be under there. And if all the fans start jumping up and down at the same exact time (you know, synchronized) out in the left field bleachers, I don't want to be under there. It would be human pancake time, and I just don't need to be a part of that.

So anyway, my pathway needed research – and lots of it. So Greg Fortescue and I arrived hours before the game so we could plan out the routes. Routes that took us, at several points (GASP!) right through the GENERAL PUBLIC!

Now this might come as a big surprise to everyone, but I am here to tell you something about members of the GENERAL PUBLIC. These people do not understand the importance of the RUNNER. These people do not care one bit about EAST COAST DEADLINES. These people will not step aside when "RUNNER ON DEADLINE!" is shouted at them in a packed hallway. No. The nerve.

Instead, their reaction is the hoisting of beverages high into the air while yelling slurred slogans and words that aren't in any of my dictionaries at home (mostly because I don't even own one – can you tell?) Sometimes I can make out the line "What channel you with?!" – but this only happened once – while I was shooting a picture of the crowd in a hallway. The crowd that was blocking my way. Drunken bastards.

Photo by Grover Sanschagrin

Bert's remote camera - all set up and ready to catch third base action. But where's Bert? Hmmm... this could be my BIG DAY. Now, if only some hot juicy third base action could happen... all I need to do is step on this here footswitch and I'd be a hero.

But, I somehow managed to survive. I found what seemed like secret passageways through areas of the stadium that I probably shouldn't have seen, though. I've seen things. I've seen some things.

I also had one of those super-cool two-way radios to play with. You know the kind – it has that speaker/microphone thing that clips to your collar, and when you talk into it you bend your neck really far to one side (but you tell yourself you look 'important' because you are in-the-act of communicating, which makes you look cool to everyone nearby.) Yeah, now YOU want to be a runner too, don't you! TWO WAY RADIOS... BONUS!!

So, my big (potential) moment came when Bert was called away to shoot 'cold weather feature,' and he had to leave his post up there above 3rd base. It was my duty to "sit and watch the gear."

So, I sat in Bert's seat (it was nice a warm) and kept a watchful eye on things. Especially the bad-ass remote camera Bert had set up, trained tightly on third base. Then I had a thought. What would happen if there was a big play at third? Would I / should I move my foot 3 inches to the left and hit the foot switch that would have kicked this beast of a camera into high gear?

And what if there WAS a big play at third that changed the course of the game – or the course of the entire SERIES, and I got the shot simply by stepping on the remote footswitch? Who would get the photo credit? Would I be in trouble with some union somewhere? Am I not licensed and/or qualified to operate such a footswitch? Would I be ejected from the stadium for 'overstepping the bounds of a runner.' (Pun intended.)

Well, Bert came back a few minutes later, and my dream-like trance came to and end. The lead photo running 5 columns wide on page one of USA Today with the byline "Awesome photo by our hero Grover" under it wouldn't actually happen. Damn. But there's still TWO MORE GAMES! So, my advice – keep your eyes on the front page, baby.

The 'photo work room,' that scary place under the heavy concrete outfield bleachers was cold. It was colder down there than it was outside. USA Today sports photo editor (and SportsShooter.com member!) David Cooper was all bundled up in multiple layers of clothing, breathing into his hands to warm them up. (It must have been REALLY cold, too, because he was using a Titanium G4 PowerBook, which gets warm enough to heat a small apartment on its own – still this was not enough heat for him.)

Photo by Grover Sanschagrin

USA Today sports photo editor (and SportsShooter.com member!) David Cooper blows warm air into his hands to fight the cold photo workroom environment. He works without fear of the massive concrete slab above him.

But anyway, I must admit that my favorite part of the whole 'runner' experience is that I am able to offer humanitarian aid to those in need. Bringing Cokes to a bunch of photographers stuck in a shooting position is my way of embracing the notion of a "kinder, gentler" runner.

I went home feeling good. Sore. But good. My legs hurt, and I am hungry, and I need to hurry up and finish writing this thing so I can drag my ass back to the stadium so I can park 2 miles away in some crack-infested neighborhood just so I can be someone else's bitch... uh, wait... I didn't mean that. Really. (I was just testing out my 'bad ass' attitude again. Honest.)

Check back tomorrow for my next exciting installment of "Runnin' With The Flash Cards".

(Confidential to a certain World Series shooter: Your secret is safe with me. I promise. Runner's Honor!)

Related Links:

Link: Part One of this Series

Grover's SportsShooter.com Member Page